Nervous
by Osoji Nosferatu
Summary: Even the most hardened leaders of war can experience the same emotions everyone else does. In this case, Chrom is experiencing the same feeling Olivia always does- nervousness. And in this battle- of affection and of steel- it's not Olivia who needs rescuing. (Rated M for almost lemon. Chrom x Olivia.)
1. Pie-re Emblem

**AN: So, if you saw Olivia X Chrom coming in the next installment of "A Shepherd's Love," you'd be absolutely right. If you did, I'll give you a cookie. (Not really.) This time around, it's not going to be so hard to find out who's next- or will it be? **

**I'm surprised this series is getting so much attention! It makes me happy and proud to see my stories making someone's day. As always, thanks for reading, and I'm certainly open to requests (That doesn't mean I'll be able to do all of them) **

**Without further ado, I hope you enjoy "Nervous," the fourth installment of "A Shepherd's Love." :) **

* * *

He was nervous.

"Gods," the prince mumbled, smoothing his hair back in frustration. Bits and pieces of flour and dough lodged themselves amidst the staple navy blue of the royal blood.

An hour later, the same word came tumbling out of Chrom's mouth once again. "Gods…"

Again. "Gods!"

And again. "GODS!" he shouted, removing the pie from the makeshift oven and throwing it into the field behind the mess tent. The rhubarb filling- now burnt- fell onto the ground with a sickening splat, dashing Chrom's hopes as quickly as they came when he began to try and bake the pies. In a state of unbridled rage and malice, Chrom unsheathed Falchion, prepared to end the dastardly pie… until his younger sister showed up.

"Hey, big brother, whatcha doin'?" Lissa asked innocently, smiling at her kin and leaning forward slightly, clasping her hands behind her back. Quickly, he shoved Falchion back into its home and made an effort to hide the pie by shuffling his feet in front of the dessert. It wouldn't be good news if word got out around the camp that their mighty leader and Prince of Ylisse slayed a pie because he was frustrated in the kitchen. Robin would never let him live that goof-up down.

"You're trying to make a pie, aren't you?" Lissa giggled, walking over to the failed strawberry concoction. She squatted beside the pie, grimacing at the . "Whew, you really did screw it up."

"Thanks for nothing," Chrom grumbled, turning away from his little sister. At least she hadn't seen Falchion unsheathed and-

"Why were you about to slay this helpless pie?"

"_Gods, no, anything but this fate," _Chrom thought, crying internally at the humiliation he'd confront the next day. Slowly, he raised his open palm and placed it into his face. "_Just give my soul to the Fell Dragon already and be done with me…" _

But Lissa surprised him by asking a question. A loaded one, yes, but at least she wasn't making fun of him for attacking a defenseless dessert. "So, Chrom, who's it for? Or… a better question would be who was it for," Lissa laughed at her brother's culinary abilities as she began walking towards the mess tent, probably to gather more ingredients to help him cook.

"Save the jests, Lissa. It was for Olivia, and my purposes are not as… platonic as I'd like them to be," Chrom said quietly, and quite guiltily, hoping no one overheard his little statement. The only ones he had to worry eavesdropping were Tharja and Panne, but Tharja was probably stalking Robin while he took a dump, and Panne didn't who married, kissed, or slept with who, as long as it wasn't her. Until she married her husband, Lon'qu.

Noticing the seriousness on her brother's face, she lowered her voice. "Oooh, that's tough. Well, it's a good thing Love Doctor Lissa is in the house today, because it looks like this patient is in several forms of distress!" Lissa squealed, happy she could finally pull this act on her brother, since it was a ton of fun to play on her husband, Ricken, when they were both combating feelings of affection towards their young selves.

"Love doctor…?" Chrom nervously inquired. "You know what, I don't even want to know. But let's just get it over with, because I know you are as stubborn as a mule when it comes to getting your way," the prince muttered, crossing his arms and glaring at his younger kin, eliciting a giggle from her.

Lissa beamed, knowing she'd won. "Well, first, let me take a look at your symptoms. Come with me, brother, your prescription awaits elsewhere," she giggled, grabbing Chrom's hand and tugging him towards nowhere in particular. Lowering her voice, she whispered to herself, "Now all we have to do is find her."

"What was that, Lissa? I didn't seem to get that."

"Oh, just a few medical musings that you wouldn't understand," Lissa replied, winking at the prince mischievously.

Chrom grumbled something incoherent- probably for the better- and let his little sister whisk him off on one of her play-pretend adventures. Luckily for her, he was in a decent mood today. Robin had made only a few jokes about his bedhead at the strategy meeting this morning, Frederick had let him skip 'Frederick's Fanatical Fitness Hour' and he'd managed to catch- and punish- Gaius for stealing more sugar candies from Lissa. Coincidentally, they were the same candies Chrom used to lure Gaius into the Shepherds.

"Where are we going?" Chrom mumbled as Lissa led him through the Shepherd's camp. Most of the soldiers by now were used to Lissa's antics and didn't even give them a second glance. However, a few of the newer recruits glanced at her leading the captain of their company by the hand and chuckled, unaccustomed to the sight. As they passed the training field of the magic users, he noticed Ricken honing his skills with an Arcfire tome. Chrom got the boy's attention, silently, pleading for help.

Ricken shrugged and grinned evilly. "Sorry, Chrom, but my wife's too much for even me to handle when she gets like this," the aspiring mage explained, not feeling sorry for Chrom at all.

"Oh, can it, you," Lissa playfully reprimanded her husband, who had recently married the princess in question, effectively making Ricken Chrom's brother-in-law. Despite their young age, they functioned well as a married couple, and even better on the battlefield. Anyone who was healed by Lissa with the influence of Ricken's magic was essentially fully revitalized, effectively making them the most powerful healing duo in the army.

Ricken smiled lovingly at his wife and went back to honing his Arcfire skills, leaving Chrom to fend for himself. Oh, the boy would pay when he got out of this… he would pay dearly…

Lissa noticed the malicious glint in Chrom's eyes and tugged on his sleeve. "C'mon brother, we still have to find out what your symptoms are," bringing them both back to her game of 'Love Doctor Lissa."

"My what?" he wondered aloud, confused. "Oh…" Chrom trailed off, remembering why Lissa was leading him around in the first place.

* * *

Sooner or later, they located the former Dancer, who was practicing her swordplay alone in an open field, most likely because she was still extremely shy when presented with most of the Shepherds. By no means did she hate any of them, she just wasn't comfortable around other people in general, and Chrom knew this. That's why he tried to get to know her better. Lissa let go of Chrom's arm and watched her brother watch the Dancer-turned-Myrmidon.

His eyes followed her every movement, the way she held the Iron Sword, the groove in her face when she concentrated, the way her thigh muscles clenched when she crouched… He shook the thoughts from his head, reprimanding himself for thinking of his friend that way. A sexy friend at that, but still, a friend. After all, it wasn't his fault she wore such a… revealing outfit.

"_His symptom number 1: his eyes are glued to her entire being, especially her womanly parts. He's transfixed with the way she moves. This could just be a case of the normal male psyche speaking for him, but considering the conditions he's being held under, it's reasonable to believe that he's attracted to her, at the least." _Lissa thought, cackling internally at the thought of her brother, her pius, morally upright brother, ogling a woman. An exuberantly beautiful woman, but still a woman.

Olivia turned towards them as she performed a horizontal slashing strike that spun her around in a circle. She noticed the two siblings of the royal family substituting as her audience, making her gasp, jump in surprise, drop her sword, and fall down, in that order. Lissa tried to stifle a giggle and failed. Chrom, while more secretive, still couldn't help but smiling at the extremely talented woman's shyness.

"Milady! M-milord!" Olivia stuttered, hurriedly standing up and quickly bowing as she was always taught to, even though Chrom and Lissa had repeatedly told her to forgo the formalities and refer to them by their names. She sheathed her Iron Sword with haste, lopsidedly smiling at Chrom. Her eyes lit up in time with his, which didn't go unnoticed by the 'love doctor.'

"_Her symptom number 1: She's totally glued to his handsome face. A dead-giveaway for ID'ing a crush. Conclusion: they both like each other 'that way.'" _Lissa thought, excited at how much progress she'd seen already. Maybe this wouldn't be as nearly as hard as she'd thought it'd be, even with Olivia's shyness and Chrom's mule-headedness.

"Olivia, I refer to you by name, so it's only fair that you refer to me by mine," Chrom joked, unsheathing Falchion and stabbing it point-first into the dirt, to try and prove a point. If anything, it made Olivia giggle, since Chrom looked so silly when he tried to be serious… when not on the field of battle or in a political meeting.

"If you insist, Lord Chrom," Olivia replied, not reducing the amount of formality she used at all.

Rolling his eyes, he eyed her tattered sheath attached to her hip. "_Control yourself, Chrom," _he thought to himself. "_The way my eyes are directed now is to just observe the condition of her weapon, not to take in the edges of her exposed hips. Yes, most definitely just to look at the condition of her weapon. Yes, quite," _he rambled mentally, before shaking the non-platonic thoughts out of his head. As for the sheath, it was heavily battered, a sign that she'd been using the weapon often, be it in practice or in battles. "I see your blade is dulling. Have you considered moving up a weapon class? You're undoubtedly talented enough to."

"W-well, I'm not strong enough to wield steel yet… so I think I'll build up my muscles before trying to use a Steel Sword," Olivia stated, blushing as she looked at the ground from the attention Chrom directed at her. The prince unknowingly always directed too much attention at everyone when he talked to them one-on-one, making those like Virion and Olivia nervous. "But thank you anyways, milo- er, Chrom," Olivia stuttered as she managed to keep herself from addressing him formally.

He chuckled once at her falter. "Understandable. How about a Killing Edge? I know you're skilled enough to angle the blade precisely enough to damage the opponent greatly," the prince suggested, nodding his head in the direction of the weapons tent not too far from where they stood.

"I've tried it a little, and I like it because it's even lighter than my Iron Sword, but I know they're hard to come by, and I figured that more talented warriors like Lon'qu and Robin could use it better than I could," Olivia countered, downgrading herself in the process. Chrom shook his head in response. She'd seen the damage Lon'qu had been able to inflict on poor souls in Regna Ferox, after all, she was the West Khan's Dancer, so she'd been around those whom he treasured quite often, despite her fear of being seen and watched.

"No, no, Olivia. I explicitly told Robin to stock up on Killing Edges at the last merchant we purchased inventory from," Chrom explained, waving his hand behind his head as a sign of dismissal. "So," he said with a flourish, "have at it."

"Really, Chrom? Thank you!" Olivia smiled, sending the prince's heart into a state of ecstatic bliss. "Could I, uh, go get one now and show you what I've learned?"

"_WHAT?" _Lissa screamed inside her head, shocked at what she'd just heard. Here Olivia was, the shyest woman in the army, and she was challenging her brother, the most talented and well-known man in the Shepherds to a duel? Lissa couldn't believe it. She thought the day when the ground erupted in flames, monsters appeared out of the sky, and a mysterious woman who would later be revealed to be Chrom's daughter would before- oh wait, it did…

"Er, milady, are you all right?" Olivia asked, looking concerningly at Lissa's face which had turned even paler than it already was. The princess's eyes were bulging at their sockets and her expression, frozen in a display of shock did nothing to help ease Olivia's conscience.

"Lissa?" Chrom questioned, waving a hand in front of her face. "Hey, Lissa!" he barked, hoping to startle her out of her stupor.

"Gah! Wolves! Risen-riding wolves!" Lissa shouted, breaking from her daze, unintentionally quoting Robin when she snapped out of it. "Oops…"

"Are- are you okay, Lissa?" Olivia hesitantly asked, somehow producing a glass of water and holding it out to her.

Lissa took a deep breath. "Ah, no thanks, Olivia. I'm good."

The pink-haired Dancer shrugged. "Don't mind if I do, then," she stated as she began to thirstily drink the liquid from the cup.

Chrom glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, even transfixed with the way she drank from a glass of water. Somehow, she made a simple act such as drinking water graceful and majestic, just like her dances on and off the battlefield. She seemed so… magical, in lieu of a better word. He suspected she knew some magic that fed off of the user him or herself, instead of relying on a tome. However, he'd never come close to comprehending this subject of magic at all, since it was rumored to be even more difficult to master than tome magic, which was difficult enough in itself.

"But what were you saying, Olivia? You'd like to duel? I'd be more than happy to oblige," Chrom said, smiling at the newly-turned Myrmidon. His fingers drummed the weathered hilt of Falchion in anticipation. "Unfortunately, we don't have practice Killing… Edges," he stated, pausing at the thought of how stupid he sounded by saying 'Killing Edges.'

Olivia giggled at his word choice while she set her Iron Sword down on a rock nearby. "That's fine, I figured we'd spar with real weapons this time around."

"_Oh, so they'd sparred before. Wait, that'd explain why Olivia's fighting style mimics Chrom's in many ways," _Lissa thought, playing the past three month's events over in her head since Olivia joined the Shepherds. "_Heh. Symptom number two for her: she giggles at his everyday talk that wouldn't change even if she didn't like him like that." _

"Are you sure? I don't want to accidentally hurt you, Olivia," Chrom said, concern lacing his words just a bit too heavily for Lissa to misinterpret them. The prince's eyes fell on a scar on Olivia's exposed shoulder that had healed. "I don't want to add any more scars to you, now."

"Don't worry, milord, I'll be careful," Olivia responded, giggling at the way she chose to word her statement. "And don't you worry, I'll get you back for that!" She exclaimed teasingly, placing her hands on her hips and leaning forward slightly, glaring at him in mock anger, slightly pouting. It was absolutely adorable and Lissa nearly lost it, as her "Cute-o-meter" skyrocketed through the roof. It was wonders at how close the two had gotten since their initial meeting, wherein Olivia could barely utter a word around the handsome-faced, navy-haired prince. The Shepherds' leader furiously blushed from this little act of flirtation.

"Lemme just clarify this one thing: Olivia gets hurt, Chrom's in trouble. Chrom gets hurt, Chrom's in trouble, got it? So do your worst, Olivia!" Lissa encouraged, swinging her hands over her head like she was striking a target with an imaginary sword. "_Symptom number two for him: he blushes at her flirting." _

"Hey, I think it's time for Ricken to teach me tome magic," Lissa abruptly blurted, wanting an excuse to spy on the two later on. "I'll see you two later." The Cleric settled on a big, sturdy tree that hid her well, even if they walked over in her direction.

Olivia watched Chrom's little sister skip away in search of her husband. "Well, Chrom, I'll be right back," Olivia said, motioning with her head in the direction of the weapons tent.

Chrom stood up from the not-so-comfortable rock he was sitting on. "Nonsense, milady. I will accompany you," Chrom jokingly replied, sheathing Falchion as he began to walk alongside Olivia, just a little too close for her comfort. Oh, she was comfortable, sure, in fact she was excessively comfortable. But the mere thought of that well-toned body just inches from hers… did funny things to her own body.

SIlence entwined the two as they made their way to the tent; a pleasant silence that only couples enjoyed. Olivia was smiling and walking in that same, alluring way she always did, with her stride never leaving a constant rhythm, truly attesting to the fact that she was a very gifted dancer. Chrom's gait held a skip, as if he was walking on air.

"Yep, truly a couple meant to be," Lissa whispered as she watched them from behind her tree.

* * *

"Olivia, do you miss your home back in Regna Ferox?" Chrom asked, hoping to gain some information on where she wanted to be. Oh, yes, Basilio had ordered her along with the Shepherds, but Chrom truly wanted what was best for her. If that meant sending her home amidst the snow and ice, so be it.

If that meant him losing his first love, so be it. He fingered the ring in his pocket that his father had given him before he passed. If Olivia would not accept it, the ring would need to find its home on another woman's finger. But Chrom didn't want that at all.

"Of course, milord, I do. But I get to re-travel the world again, and that gives me a thrill that familiar mountains and icecaps can't match," Olivia replied with a smile, then began to giggle.

"Hm? What's so funny?"

"Besides, I'm a b-bit of a freeze baby," Olivia stuttered, revealing one of her embarrassing traits.

"Ha! Gods, you hail from Ferox and yet you get cold?" Chrom jested, fake-shivering.

"Oh, stop it!" Olivia blushed, all the while laughing heartily along with Chrom. However, the peace was broken by Robin and his wife, Nowi.

"Chrom! And, Olivia! The west section of camp has been ambushed by a brigand of Tricksters and Swordmasters, and they even took out out sentries!" Robin shouted, breathlessness seeping into his voice.

"They've got every sword imaginable… Armorslayers, Wyrmslayers, Killing Edges, Levin Swords, you name it!" Nowi explained, her voice distorted by her dragon's transformation. "They even had the nerve to dent my scales! Those meanies!" the Manakete pouted, though no one could see it.

Robin, in his state of disarray, began to throw out orders even though he wasn't technically in command. "Get anyone stalwart or swift enough to take these guys on! Lances to the front to intimidate, horses to flank if need be, and the forces on foot to engage! Magic and healers hide, and pop out if need be! Gods, some have made it here already!" Robin yelled, unsheathing his own Killing Edge and charging off with Nowi to engage the six assailants.

"They're going to kill themselves! Six against two?" Olivia shrieked, throwing her hands up to her face in shock. Suddenly, she felt a strong hand close itself over her own hand, instantly calming her spirits.

"Olivia."

"Yes?"

Chrom handed her a brand-new Killing Edge with is free hand, still wrapped in cloth to protect it from nicks and dings. "This is now yours. Let's even the odds a bit, shall we?" he challenged, bringing a renewed invigoration into the timid Myrmidon. A small smile founds its way to his lips the instant he heard Robin's steel clash with the enemy's.

With hands steady, Olivia accepted the sharpened blade, unwrapping the cloth entwined around it. "First… combat," she whispered. "I've never looked into someone's eyes and killed them, only watched others do it…"

"Olivia… it'll be all right. Please, believe me," Chrom pleaded, clutching her hand tighter and gazing into her eyes. As the prince stood up, he slowly unsheathed Falchion. "Even if you choose not to go, I will fight doubly to make up for your absence." With what he needed to say said, he tore off towards the Tactician-Manakete duo fighting bravely by themselves, and threw himself into the thick of things. A Trickster that Robin was sword-locked with felt his gut impaled as the shining tip of the royal sword drove through his abdomen. Robin glanced at best friend, grinned, and threw himself at another opponent with renewed determination, but not before launching a chain attack with an Arcwind tome and Nowi's dragon breath. The fiery-blue wind completely ripped an opponent to shreds, leaving four assailants left. However, more gathered in the distance, rushing to aid their comrades that had fallen.

Olivia looked down at the blade she held in her hands, and at the fighting that was transpiring not fifty yards away from where she sat now. "Maybe I can finally make a difference here. Maybe I can be a swordfighter. Maybe I can… do something. I… know I can. Yes! I can and I will be useful. Chrom… wait for me," Olivia whispered as she, too, stood up. The Dancer glanced at the sheath that Chrom had left lying behind for her Killing Edge. With two fluid motions, her Iron Sword and its sheath fell from her hip and was replaced by the critical blade.

Gracefully, she began to run towards the skirmish, and was surprised when Ricken fell into step beside her. The young Mage carried an Elfire tome, contrary to what he was practicing with earlier. Since Ricken was a young teenager, Olivia was less shy around him, since he looked up to her like a little brother looked up to his big sister. She was even more surprised to see him nimbly climbing a tree to provide aerial cover with an Elwind tome, in case the bandits had any riders.

Ricken grinned. "Don't worry, Olivia. I'll be fine."

"Okay, you make sure you are, Ricken," the Myrmidon replied, glancing his way as she continued to run towards the fight. Just a few more paces now…

By this time, the remaining brigand members had shown up, setting Olivia off with the sheer amount of them all. With the few Shepherds that had shown up, they were easily outnumbered four-to-one. However, Olivia steeled her resolve, forcing herself to continue and run towards the danger.

Not away.

To.

* * *

**AN: Review and favorite/follow if you liked. Thanks a ton!**

**~The Slain Executioner~**


	2. Mixed Advice

**AN: So this came out much longer than I thought it was gonna be, since I didn't like how the first ending went. So you get more goodness. :D **

**Also, I know M may be deceiving, but that's going to be revealed when I post the third chapter whenever I can... it's all written, just going through editing and proofreading, blah blah blah...**

**Also, let me know if you want to see Ricken x Lissa or Cordy x Gaius. I'm doing my Stahl x mystery woman before all else. (If you think you know who it is let me know.) **

**I hope you enjoy chapter 2 of Nervous! Once again, review, and thanks for all the support!**

* * *

"Gods… why must the healing magic sting…" Chrom mumbled as Maribelle ministered a strong dose of vulnerary to his abdomen, shoulder, and left bicep, where his bracer failed to protect him.

The noblewoman clicked her tongue in correction. "Milord, I imagine that you'd be in a greater state of discomfort if you went without my healing magic."

"Yes, Maribelle, I suppose you're right," Chrom replied dejectedly, glancing at the to-be scars on his body. He'd feel the after effects of that in the morning, that's for sure. But one thing was for certain, this whole battle, he was distracted by something not pertaining to steel and magic.

"Hm," she acknowledged amidst her concentration, summoning her magic once again, making the prince shrink back in pain slightly. Once she finished healing his wounds the best she could, she stood up and glanced down at the Shepherd's leader with a questioning glint in her eyes. "Milord, I can't help but to feel that you were distracted in the battle prior to me mending your wounds."

He sighed. At least he could express what was on his heart to Maribelle. The woman had been alongside him as he'd grown up, acting more as a second mother rather than a friend. However, the two of them never failed to enjoy each other's company, with the noblewoman constantly reprimanding Chrom for his brutish behaviour, and Chrom giving her backtalk. As they matured, he'd taken the path of the blade whilst she opted for the path of assistance; to offer solitude and healing. Their friendship had stood the test of time, resulting in frequent visits from the blonde-curled noble.

"I concede. I was distracted," Chrom replied, looking away to hide the slight flush creeping up over his face.

"I could tell. But what was it that was bothering you? Did you and Robin engage in another heated argument?" Maribelle inquired, tidying up her healing materials, since no one else required mending. Chrom insisted that, while his injuries were somewhat severe, the other injured soldiers be tended to first.

He chuckled. "Nothing as simple as that, I'm afraid."

"Then what could it possibly be- oh," the noblewoman interjected, realizing exactly why his face was flushed. Chrom wasn't the type to turn red-faced from some powerful magic, like Ricken and Donnel.

"Yeah…"

"Well, I must know who the lucky woman is, or will be. Come now, tell me! We haven't got all day," Maribelle pushed, wanting more information for herself and to try and help the hopeless prince- when it came to love. "Come to think, I don't need your words to explain who you adore. It is Olivia, is it not?"

"Yes," Chrom blushed, twisting his mouth into a pout. He crossed his arms and tried to avoid eye contact with the noble.

"Don't sulk, Chrom. It's undignified," Maribelle chastised, shelving another roll of bandages as she spoke. She made her way over to a kettle to prepare some imported Valmese tea, one she knew calmed the tension between nerves and soothed the very soul.

"Yes, yes, I know. I just…" Chrom began, unsure where to continue with his words. "I just don't know how to tell her."

"Well, my dear boy, I'd suggest that you tell her over something she enjoys very much. You've been around our good dancer for a while now, so tell me what she enjoys," Maribelle explained, crushing the leaves and sifting through them to make sure that they were ground to her satisfaction.

"Well, ever since I began to tutor her in swordplay, she's taken an immense interest in weaponry, loves pies, and enjoys singing, as far as I can tell," Chrom replied, counting off what she enjoyed, most prominently, on his fingers. "Well, not counting her most obvious profession, dancing..."

Maribelle paused to scattered the leaves into the kettle of now-boiling water. "Then I advise that you do something she enjoys, but with no indication that you plan to propose to her. You still have that ring, do you not?" The noble asked, gesturing to his pocket.

He retrieved it. "I do."

"Chrom… before I say this, I must express that I'm very happy for you. I'm most certain that Olivia will do anything but reject you, so please, get out of my medical tent and find the woman!" Maribelle exclaimed, a smile overtaking her features. "As politely as I can manage," she coughed, realizing the rudeness and brashness of her words prior.

"I'm going to give it several night's thought, then I'll propose. Before long, I'll have her hand," Chrom confidently stated, a smile blossoming in his eyes that spread to his mouth. He wisely left out the non-platonic thoughts swirling around in his head, however. He stood to leave, probably to formulate something with Robin, but she held her hand out, stopping him.

"It is most rude to refuse a lady's invite to tea," she snapped, holding out a saucer and teacup full of sweet-smelling tea. The blonde noblewoman looked angry, but after years of knowing her, Chrom could see the humor dancing in her eyes.

Chrom bowed in mock apology. "Apologies, milady. You are too kind," the prince smirked, accepting the small plate from Maribelle with humor of her caliber dancing in his eyes.

* * *

"Stahl, I'm so nervous! What do I do?" she complained, waving her arms around, leaving the messy-haired fellow Myrmidon to puzzle confusedly. She hadn't even explained the situation yet.

"Um, Olivia? You might want to calm down before I try to do anything."

"Uh, yeah. Sorry," Olivia coughed, fingering her radiant pink hair as she looked at the ground. "It's about our leader…" she trailed off, blushing.

"Oh, so you're wondering when he'll propose to you?" Stahl innocently asked, thinking much too far ahead for Olivia. His emotion-reading ability played its part well here.

"No! Well, yes…? I don't even know… but I just know that I like him," Olivia replied, a Fire spell working its way up to her cheeks. "I don't even know if I'm qualified to be his significant other…" the Myrmidon replied, gaze shooting into the dirt as she twiddled her thumbs.

"Well, I know you're qualified enough. He wouldn't have trained you in swordplay if he didn't deem you a fountain of potential," the average young man stated, brushing a stray lock of hair out of his face and lopsidedly smiling at the dancer.

"Thanks, Stahl," Olivia beamed, clasping and unclasping her hand around the hilt of her Killing Edge. Stahl noticed this little action and raised his eyebrows in shock.

"You've even begun to act like Chrom when he's nervous. See your hand? It's grabbing your sword's handle like there's no tomorrow. I think you're definitely stricken, and so is he, judging by the way he looks at you, but what to do…?" the hungry Cavalier thought aloud, his stomach growling before he could formulate a rational answer. "Oogie…"

Olivia laughed at her friend's quirk. "It's okay, Stahl. Go find something to eat, I'll figure something out."

Stahl looked up from his discomfort. "I got it," he mumbled weakly.

"What is it?" Olivia asked excitedly, eyes brightening up as he opened his mouth to explain. Her excitement was cut off, however, as he keeled over and passed out on the ground, completely spent. His brown hair flopped in front of his eyes, hiding their identity of being shut. "You really need to…" he mumbled, leaving Olivia hanging higher than the perch that Emmeryn was imprisoned on.

"Stahl?"

"So… hungry…"

Olivia sighed as she flagged down a passing Cordelia who volunteered to help drag the voracious young man to the mess tent. Maybe he could bum some food off of the soldiers on cooking duty tonight. As they were carrying Stahl, who was still mumbling incoherently about cakes and pies, Olivia figured that it'd be a good idea to ask for more input on what to do with her love for Chrom.

"Hey, Cordelia?" Olivia grunted, shifting the weight on Stahl's arms so she could transport him better. "Can you help me with… a matter regarding love?"

Cordelia looked over her shoulder and smiled warmly at her friend. "Of course, Olivia. I'm no expert, but I can try to help. What would you like to know?" the Pegasus Knight replied, steering them away from a big tree.

"Well, I want to get Chrom to propose to me, but I don't know how to get him to… I feel that both of us are in the same state, where we both know what we like but don't know how to get it," Olivia whispered, a blush overtaking her face that she was glad Cordelia couldn't see.

The redhead sighed. For the longest time, she'd been stricken with Chrom. But now, after befriending the timid dancer, she'd come to realize how much Olivia truly loved him. So, she made it her best effort to suppress the affection, and somehow, it had worked. Cordelia never imagined that Sumia would carry an actually-helpful book on how to get over an infatuation, but she had, and it worked wonders.

"Olivia, there isn't much I can say. I can say this, though. Chrom better scoop you up while he can, because you're quite the catch," Cordelia chuckled, glad she was finally over the blue-haired, handsome prince. "Well, I guess just be yourself and make an effort to be around him a lot. Just not more than normal, just enough to make him notice that you love him. And, to make the other ladies around here know that he's yours," she added with a wink.

Noticing that they were at the mess tent, and Stahl was beginning to smell food, she set her half of the cargo down and smiled at her friend. "Is there anything else you needed of me, Olivia?"

"Nope. Thanks, Cordy," Olivia giggled as she used the name that her secret affection, Gaius, used for her, alongside the predictable name of "Red."

Cordelia blushed as she turned, thankful her dancer-friend didn't see it.

* * *

_One week later_

This was it. The day of the plan. Chrom nervously slipped his fingers around the metal band residing in his pocket. If all went well, he'd have Olivia wearing this ring in a few hours, but he couldn't help but be nervous. After all, the prince was completely inexperienced in this area. Robin had been no help to him, since his plans were overtly tactical and held an air of sneakiness to them. He couldn't complain that having Robin in that position had benefits, since they had yet to lose a Shepherd to foreign steel.

Chrom had been so desperate as to even enlist Virion's help. The 'archest of archers' had immediately fallen serious and inquired who it was. When he told the silver-tongued archer it was Olivia, he'd gone into a long spiel of her traits and attributes, including her physical ones. Chrom stopped him before Virion could get too graphic, resulting in the archer falling serious, as he began. Surprisingly useful advice came out of his mouth, much to Chrom's amazement. Virion had instructed him to infuse his words with slightly more romance rather than passion and conviction, as the prince tended to do whenever he spoke.

When Chrom inquired what that meant, Virion simply clicked his tongue (as most nobles seemed to do, he realized) and shook his head. "That," he had said, "is for you to discover, my lovestruck friend." Amidst this little tease, Virion had also instructed him to be slightly more lighthearted. "While war may be a downfall to us all, the throes of struggle must be overcome with one's spirit! Show her that spirit that keeps your head up high every day!" Virion stated, swishing his hand with a flourish, voice rising slightly as he expressed how he would have gone about the night. Chrom thanked him genuinely and left, a plan formulating in his mind.

So why, after a whole week of strategizing with Robin, did he feel ill-prepared?

"Goodness, milord, could your shoulders get any more tense?" Maribelle interrupted his thoughts with a gloved hand waving in front of his face.

"Muh? Oh… sorry, Maribelle," Chrom replied, fingers immediately clutching Falchion out of nervousness as he apologized.

Maribelle shook her head. "Nonsense, Chrom. There's no need to apologize. But what are you so nervous about? You've planned this down- excuse my pun- to a 't,' ran over it with Robin, and even let every other Shepherd know what's going to transpire not a few hours from now. So, why are you still afraid? You know that as a leader and a friend Olivia looks up to you."

"But… I just don't feel like I'll do it right…"

"Is that what you thought when you created the Shepherds? When you led us into war against Plegia? No, most certainly not! You threw your heart and soul into every action you took, and this is no different! Simply place your heart and soul into the date you've planned, and you will achieve victory as you always have, milord," Maribelle encouraged, placing a comforting hand on his bracer.

Chrom smiled at his friend. "Thanks, Maribelle."

"A pleasure. It is a lady's duty to help those in need." Maribelle turned and left without another word, going to join Robin, Lissa, Cordelia, and Stahl in their spying. Lissa had directed them to the same tree she used to spy on Chrom and Olivia when they had headed in the direction of the weapons tent. With a bit of difficulty, Cordelia's pegasus had managed to transport each one of them, one by one, into the branches of the tree, high off the ground.

"Did you _have _to pick such an obvious spot to spy on them?!" Stahl hissed at Lissa, terrified at the thought of being caught by the prince and Olivia. The dancer had a very, very scary side- that was revealed to him when he'd tried to watch her dance with her shadow, pretending it was Chrom. The average warrior had nearly lost several limbs, according to his reports.

"Can it, you," Lissa whispered back, giggling. "He's so oblivious that he'd never notice the entire Plegian army in this tree. Olivia's so taken with him that she won't think to look anywhere else but into his eyes," the princess explained, having observed the Myrmidon's actions rather closely- and frequently- this past week.

"I just don't want to fall…" Robin muttered as he stared dumbly at the ground, a hundred feet below them. "No wind spell could break my descent at this low of an altitude…"

Cordelia stifled a laugh at Robin's fear of heights and silently whistled for her pegasus to bring Maribelle up to their perch. Thankfully, both the nobles had worn slack wear, making it easier for the two of them to sit in a tree. Gods forbid how difficult it would be to transport their frilly dresses to the perch they currently resided.

* * *

**AN: Ooh, a cliffhanger (literally) for poor Robin. :P Also, if you questioned the Chrom and Maribelle growing up, just know that's something my imagination concocted to fit the bill of the story. If Maribelle seemed OOC, please, don't hesitate to tell me. **

**Nothing else to say besides review, favorite, and follow, and thank you so much!**

~The Slain Executioner~


	3. Tactical Proposal

**AN: So sorry for the long wait! I had school and work, and hanging out with friends and a maybe-lady- friend? I don't know... **

**But all my personal issues aside, here's the third chapter of Nervous. It's the longest Fire Emblem oneshot I've written, as a small bit of trivia. **

**One final thing! If you have ideas for a modern AU for Stahl, send them to me! I may be able to incorporate them around the bones that I have written out already. And, as always, drop a review. :) It makes me happy. **

_Chapter 3_

* * *

"Gods, I hope she didn't forget…" Chrom mumbled, oblivious to Maribelle silently mounting the pegasus just a few hundred feet behind him. "I explicitly told her that I'd train her before suppertime."

As if on cue, a sparkling array of glitter and gracefulness made its way to the training field where Chrom stood. Their eyes locked for a second, and Olivia's mouth broke into a smile before she began jogging towards him with her Killing Edge in her outstretched arm, as to not accidentally cut herself.

"I hope I'm not late, milord!" Olivia called out, her face flushing in embarrassment.

"You're right on time, Olivia. No worries," Chrom replied coolly, flashing a grin at the dancer he would soon propose to. He took Virion's advice and left out the intensity in his voice; replacing it with an air of romance. "So, shall we begin?"

"Sounds good," the pink-haired dancer replied, setting her sheath down and beginning to run to warm up. Chrom fell into step beside her, trying not to glance at the Myrmidon's somewhat-exposed body. Suddenly, she turned to him, curls of hair bouncing as she ran.

"Chrom! How is your stomach faring?!" Olivia asked concernedly, her eyebrows pulling together in anticipation of his answer.

"As well as I could be," Chrom replied. "Maribelle is an excellent healer. The scars on my arm and shoulder will be minimal, too." Chrom fell silent for a second; Olivia waiting for him to continue. "I must thank you again for saving my life during the skirmish." He decided not to tell her the other wounds he'd received. His gaze lowered instinctively, he was truly and utterly humbled by her.

Olivia waved a hand behind her head, hurriedly. "I-it's nothing, milord. Any good person would have risked their life to do the same," the dancer stuttered, nervousness flooding over her again as the attention was directed onto her.

Chrom nodded. "True. But there aren't many good people left after the war's gotten to them," the prince reciprocated, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. She blushed. "_A good sign, according to Virion," _he thought. "So, Olivia. I wish to thank you, once again. That's the least I can do for you, after saving my life."

Olivia shuddered. The sight of an enemy Assassin about to impale Chrom on his blade made her convulse mentally. Luckily, she had gotten there in time to prevent his death, only to let him get injured. "If I had just been a little more experienced, and not so unskilled, m-milord, I'd be able to have deflected his blade properly," she stammered, shaming herself for her self-inflicted error.

Chrom stopped running altogether, a hand on his hip. When she ceased running, she turned to glance at him furtively. What was he doing?

"Never let me hear you degrade yourself again. That's an order," Chrom commanded, voice laced with steel.

"W-what?"

"You are easily one of the most talented sword wielders in the Shepherds, Olivia. If not amongst the best, you are certainly far from helpless- or useless. I've overheard your little feuds with yourself and how you imagine yourself worthless. But I won't have it," Chrom stated, shaking his head. "I refuse to listen to degrading talk from one of our most talented and beautiful warriors. That are, er, female, or, um, Libra," Chrom muttered, realizing his vocal error. "_Whoops." _

Olivia stood speechless for a second, taking in what Chrom had just said to her. In a barely audible whisper, she looked down and began to play with her bracelets adoring her wrists. "Do you really think so… Chrom?"

"Have I renounced it yet?" the warrior stated, crossing his arms and smiling.

"I… I can't believe the Prince of Ylisse is recognizing me for something I did…" Olivia softly said, tears threatening to well up in her eyes.

Chrom took Olivia's shoulders in his hands, sure both of them were comfortable with the contact. "I knew your confidence was at such a miniscule level because of how the compliments you received felt… half-hearted," he rationalized, shaking his head. "I aim to change that, Olivia." Chrom looked straight into her eyes and spoke.

"You are incredibly talented, at dancing or swordplay, and graceful in everything you do. Your heart is enormous, displayed when you willingly fought for Ylisse, even thought you had no ties to my country. Not to mention, um…" Chrom trailed off, breaking eye contact along with his bravado leaving him. "... your body is impeccable."

"... I could say the same for you. Stahl had kept one of your 'Chrom Wants YOU!' posters as a joke and showed it to me as a prank. I very nearly lost my mind," Olivia giggled, the physical barrier of awkwardness gone. Simultaneously, and involuntarily, they pushed closer to each other, yearning for an embrace. The both of them were shocked that the response that came out of the other's mouth was what is was.

His arms met her back, and her arms met his back. "Gods, this feels good," Chrom mumbled, breathing in the slight scent of the perfume she always wore.

"Mmm," Olivia replied, snuggling closer to his chest. Little did she know that he wished to hold her like this every night for the rest of their lives.

They simply stood in their hug for a minute or two, enjoying the other's company- just much closer than they normally would. Before Olivia could detect the rush of blood heading to somewhere other than his head, Chrom stepped back, eliciting a small pout from Olivia.

"Well, I guess we can forgo the training session," he laughed, somewhat woozy just from her scent. Hopefully, he'd be smelling more than just her perfume, but for the moment, he shook all of the non-platonic thoughts out of his head. They'd ruin his night… unto they got to the point where the thoughts transformed into reality.

"Sounds splendid," Olivia replied, giggling as she covered her mouth, knowing full well why Chrom retreated from their embrace. She wasn't as innocent as the other Shepherds made her out to be, Chrom included.

"Come this way, Olivia. I have another surprise planned for you," he stated, taking her by the wrist, gently, and leading her to the tent where his cooking ordeal had taken place.

He pushed through the flap, marvelling at how quickly he and Lissa had managed to clean up the cooking tent. There, in the middle of the counter, stood a freshly baked rhubarb pie, with strawberry adornments lining the sides. Steam still billowed from the venting holes, indicating how recently it had finished baking. Olivia's eyes lit up and she covered her mouth.

"For… me?"

"It's the least I can do for saving your life," Chrom chuckled, handing her a fork and a knife that he managed to procure from somewhere. "Dig in, I'll watch." He reprimanded himself for how creepy he must have sounded, wanting to watch her eat.

"N-no, I want you to enjoy this with me."

"If you insist," Chrom replied, licking his lips. At both tantalizing eye-candies standing in front of him.

"So how long did you slave away in here to get the cake to perfection?" Olivia asked, sighing as the taste of rhubarb struck her tongue. It truly was a masterpiece. She giggled as she saw Chrom's face tighten in response.

"That would be none of your business," he curtly replied, a gleam amidst his eyes as he spoke. "Needless to say, far too many hours…" he mumbled, shoving another forkful of pie into his mouth to prevent himself from saying something stupid, as he seemed to do frequently.

"Well, needless to say, this is heaven on a fork," Olivia sighed, leaning back in her chair as she took another bite. Needless to say, she was shocked when she'd seen Chrom able to concoct something edible. It was widely know, the prince's inability to cook a simple meal without setting it ablaze. His tenacity made up for his lack of culinary skills.

"Why, thank you. It took Stahl and Gaius's combined efforts to instruct me," Chrom admitted, shoving another mouthful of pie into his… pie-hole.

"The both of them!? Well, mister, we need to teach you how to cook," Olivia replied, shock evident in her voice. She winked at him to let him know that she was joshing.

"I don't think even Naga herself could instruct me how to cook adequately. Gods! I can lead an army and topple the Mad King of Plegia, but a simple pie conquers me…" Chrom mumbled jokingly, a huge smile starting to spread across his face. Olivia laughed in response, spewing bits of rhubarb all over the prince's face.

He smiled even wider, even though his face was now a mess . "Well, that's not very ladylike, is it now."

"I'm sorry, milord," Olivia giggled, trying her best to control her laughing- and failing miserably. Chrom pouted in response, a small sliver of rhubarb stuck on his lip. Olivia leaned over and wiped his face off with a napkin lying around.

"There you go. All clean," she laughed as she sat back down. The sound was music to his ears, but he was too transfixed with the way she leaned over him. It was hypnotizing, the way she did it…

"Thanks…" he mumbled, blushing. "H-hey, I remember that Robin wanted me to meet him in the dining tent for something. Want to tag along?" He slapped himself mentally. "_Smooth, Chrom, reaaal smooth." _

"Of course, Chrom," she replied, setting her fork and knife down on her plate in an orderly fashion, completely void of any pie, crumbs, or specks of filling. The dancer looked back up at Chrom, whose face was beginning to flush in anticipation.

With a flourish, he held the flap of the cooking tent open. "After you," he smirked with a slight nod of the head.

"Why thank you, milord," Olivia chuckled, setting her hand onto his elbow as he offered it and fell into step beside him. Before long, they'd reached the mess tent, where it was dark all around, other than for tiny specs of light trickling through the gaps in the fabric. His nervousness mounted as she stepped into the dark tent. "_Robin, I hope you…" _Chrom's thoughts were interrupted when the tent suddenly exploded in light, blinding Olivia. However, Chrom was ready for it, and he shut his eyelids before it could blind him. He saw all of the Shepherds gather around them as Olivia still rubbed at her eyes. They all wore giddy smiles on their faces, except for Cordelia, whose face was completely unreadable, understandably so for all of those close to her. Even though she'd supressed the emotions, seeing Chrom about to propose to Olivia shook her up inside. "_Gods, thank you, Robin," _the prince thought, silently thanking his goofball-of-a-tactician… and friend.

He wrapped his palm around the ring just as Olivia began to open her eyes. Before she could get her bearings, he knelt down on his left knee.

Her eyes settled on the sight of her Lord, leader and friend kneeling on the ground. A slow gasp worked her way up to her throat, escaping with a small whimper. A furious blush crept its way to her neck and cheeks, matching the shade of crimson staining Chrom's.

"Olivia, since the day we eliminated Gangrel, there have been many, many thoughts swirling around in my head. 'Why did my sister, Emmeryn, have to die?' 'I should have tried harder to save her.' 'I'm not worthy to be the Exalt.' But amongst all of these doubtful thoughts, only one notion has remained implanted in my mind: you."

"Chrom… m-milord…" Olivia whispered, unable to formulate a response other than chokes and whelps of emotion. Tears threatened to break loose from her eyelids, and she quickly brushed them away.

He continued. "You've always been a beautiful, talented woman. But now, as the time has drawn on, I've begun to realize how exuberantly beautiful you truly are. You've saved my life on multiple occasions, and there is no one else I'd rather trust my life- and heart to. Olivia, my dearest friend, companion, ally, and love interest, will you do me the honor of being my queen?" Chrom proposed, eyes locking onto hers, passion meeting passion, love clashing with love. A grin found its way onto his face, eliminating the nervousness that was once there.

At that precise moment, he opened up his hand and revealed the ring his father had bestowed upon him before he died. Olivia wordlessly nodded her head and shakily held out her hand. With one, smooth motion, the ring adorned her finger, marking her everlasting companionship with the Exalt.

"I-it would make me most joyful and blessed to accept your proposal, Ch-Chrom. Yes…!" Olivia whispered as she began to cry. "For so long I'd figured myself worthless and unable to contribute to the war effort. But now, I know I can do something with you standing with me."

"Olivia, my love, you've been contributing to our war effort for a long time now. You can only get better, and I'm sure myself and the rest of the Shepherds would be most pleased to help you improve. Right, everyone?" Chrom announced, standing up and spinning to lock eye contact with his company.

With that, the entire band of the Shepherds burst into whoops and cheers of applause, signifying their approval for this pairing. Vaike pushed his way through the crowd and slapped Chrom on the back, drawing a yelp and a curse from the prince's lips.

"Gods, Vaike, what in hell?!"

"Har! Just a friendly love tap between Teach 'n his student! Congrats, Chrom! Never thought you'd beat me in gettin' a wife!" Vaike roared in happiness, plopping a huge container of fine- and strong- ale onto a table, which already had cups procured beside it. Ricken and Donnel, despite being too young legally to try the liqueur, snuck a cup or two for themselves and took a sip.

They promptly spat it out.

"Naga forbid, what's in that?!" Ricken shouted, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "It tastes like death had a child with pungent!"

"Now that'd be one funny-looking child, lemme tell ya, nya ha!" Henry laughed, dragging Maribelle by the wrist. "C'mon, Mary, let's go try some!"

"H-Henry! Unhand my wrist this instant!" Maribelle blushed, offering only token resistance as the Dark Mage dragged her in the direction of the ale dispenser. In actuality, she was having a load of fun, being dragged around by the sadistic-but-charming Dark Mage.

"'Scusting! I'll stick with the sparklin' juice, thank ya very much!" Donnel cried, readjusting the copper pot adorning his head, as it had become skewered with the force of his spitting.

Stahl and Gaius were wrestling over the last piece of cake, with the Thief on top and seeming to have Stahl in a pin. Suddenly, the heavier man shifted his weight, causing Gaius to lose his focus for a second, allowing Stahl to pin Gaius to the ground, effectively winning him the sugary dessert. Vaike and Sully whooped in approval, with Sumia standing off to the side, clapping, a giddy smile plastered on her face.

"One… two… three!" Robin shouted, being the unofficial referee of the impromptu match. "And to the victor goes the spoils! Stahl, I bestow upon you the cake of legends, the only one- eh?"

Stahl had snatched the slice from his hand and stuffed it into his mouth unceremoniously. His cheeks puffed out from the massive amount of food in his mouth.

"Gods, Stahl, you're the one person to best me when it came to sweets," Gaius mumbled, scratching his head in surprise. "Oh well," the Thief confessed, drawing a signature sucker out of his cloak and popping it into his mouth.

Meanwhile, Chrom and Olivia snuck out of the ruckus, heading in the direction of Chrom's tent. It seemed that with every step, Olivia and Chrom drew closer together, until only their clothing separated them. Soon, Olivia leaped into the prince's arms, demanding to be carried the rest of the way, bridal-style. She leaned up as a large bump in their path forced Chrom to hunch over a bit to step over it. Their lips met, Olivia leaning further into the kiss and Chrom's eyes widening in shock and pleasure. Eventually, the blue-haired Exalt drew back, gasping for air.

"Gods, you're intoxicating," he whispered into her ear, pricking the little hairs around Olivia's ears. She shuddered at how close his mouth was, and gasped as he grasped an earlobe with his lips and began to nibble on it gently.

"If you keep doing that, milord, we may not make it to your tent," Olivia moaned, shivering as Chrom's mouth found its way to her neck. His tongue danced across the tender flesh there.

Despite the dancer's initial statement, they did indeed make it to the royal's tent, with the one in his pants being the second one. Her breath hitched in her lungs as Chrom's shirt came off, exposing his powerful ab muscles for her eyes to drink in. The clothing she wore did nothing to alleviate the visibility of the liquid trickling down her thighs.

Chrom stared in awe as Olivia twirled slowly as she slowly began to remove her own shirt. She kept the circular movement going as she exposed herself; it was terribly transfixing. His masculine object begged to be released from its den, and was all too happy when Olivia danced her way over to him, eyes locked on his in a pure display of lust intertwined with love. His own eyes reflected this perfectly, as their lovemaking truly began.

For too long Olivia had been terrified of living alone.

In Ferox, she had started with nothing.

But now, she had everything.

* * *

"For some reason, I feel strangely drawn to your story… it's very noble. Can I use some examples that you used, Father, for my flirting?" Inigo asked with a wink as Chrom finished telling the story of how he and Olivia met.

Lucina, however, was blushing furiously. Her newly-wed husband, Yarne, grinned as he knew why she was blushing. "F-Father, did you have to include… your nightly activites?"

"Oh, your father and I were very adept at nightly activities. You could even say we were nocturnal," Olivia giggled, winking at her daughter, who only blushed even further.

* * *

**AN: I hope you enjoyed it. However, I don't feel like I did a good job on it, despite trying my very best. So, throw your two cents in and tell me, please! I'd appreciate it a lot!**

**Also, vote for Henry x Maribelle, Ricken x Lissa, or Gaius x Cordelia after Stahl x Sumia. Yes, I will admit it. Stahl is going to go against the grain and go with Sumia. (Courtesy of smileplease91 in her drabble series, "A Day in the Life." *Thanks, by the way. You're awesome!***

**Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy my works. :)**

**~The Slain Executioner~**


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